Elapsed-time recorder



June 12, 1923. J 1,458,689

c; s. ELLIS ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Fiiejd April 9, .1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 12, 1923.

C. S. ELLIS ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed April 9, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J7 June 12, 1923.

C. S. ELLIS ELAPSED TIME RECORDER Filed April 9, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 12, 1923.

UNITED STATES CHARLES S. ELLIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELAPSED-TIME RECORDER.

Application filed April 9, 1920. Serial No. 372,409.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known. that I, CHARLES S. ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elapsed-Time Recorders; and I do hereby declare that the following'is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, a'ndto the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in elapsed time recorders or recording devices which are constructed and arranged to produce a record on a time card or other card where increments of time or other units of value are to be calculated. For instance, when used in connection with a time card, the card may bear a permanent circular record corresponding to the hours and minutes of a clock dial in association with which may be imprinted, by printing mem bers of the recorder, hand and other time indicating marks that will indicate the beginning and end of the period to be computed ,the card having spaces for other data relative to the job in connection with which the elapsed time is computed.

A recording device embodying my invention is adapted for use in shops where the employees are paid by the hour or fractional parts thereof, and when so used, the employee is furnished with acard bearing on its face a permanent concentric row of numbers corresponding to the hour and minute graduations of a clock dial, and bearing also lines on which may be entered data with respect to a particular job of work and the name of the workman, as indicated in Figures 7 and 8, and the recorder is provided with a die concentric to which the permanent dial marking on the card is adapted to be adjusted in the machine when a record is to be made, the die bearing a circular row of markings corresponding to the hour and minute markings of a dial, which are adapted to be imprinted on the card. with the latter series or row of such diam.- eter as to appear radially outside or inside the permanent dial record on the card. Said die is also provided with a radial upstanding rib or what may be termed a printing hand indicator which is of a radial length to extend to the annular series of markings on the die; and the die is adapted, when impressed on the card through the medium of an interposed ink ribbon, to mark on the card permanent dial area and across the annular hour and minute graduations thereof a radial mark which simulates the hand of a clock and which co operates with both the permanent card dial record and the concentric imprinted dial record from the printing die. The said die is operatively connected to a clock mechanism so that it is turned in clockwise direction. and thereby angularly' advances the clock hand die element; and after an elapsed time. if the card be again placed in the machine wit-h the permanent dial record thereon faced downwardly and com centric to the axis of the die. and a second impression of the die be made to imprint the clock hand die element on the card at its newly clock advanced position, a second marking or imprint will be made, and the angular distance between the two markings of the clock hand die element, when read with respect to the figures or graduations of the inner and outer circles, indicates the time which has intervened or elapsed. be tween the time when the marking hand impression was first marked on the card and when it was last marked thereon, as will. be clear, by reference to Figures 6 to 9, inelusive.

In accordance with my invention two impressing platens or plungers co-operate with the die element, one a solid inner platcn and the other a. rim like surrounding platen, both concentric to the axis of the die element, the outer platen being annularly opposed to and acting against the annular series of hour and minute graduations on the die element, and the other or inner platen being opposed to and acting against the central part of the die element. The actuating devices for the platens are so constructed that both platens can be depressed simultaneously through the operation of one of the actuating devices. and the inner platen can be independently depressed through the operation of the other actuating device.

The depression of both platens serves to press a card against the die element, preferably through the medium of an inked ribhon, to printon the card the outer circular series of hour and minute graduations, and the hand printing element or marker, and

the independent depression of the inner or central platen serves to print on the card, and within the permanently printed circular series oi? hour and minute graduations the impression of the hand printing element (or marker alone). The angular distance between the hand element impression produced by the simultaneous depression of both plungers or platens and. that produced by the central platen indicates on the graduations the elapsed time.

The purpose orthe invention is to provide improvements in elapsed time record ing devices of the general character (1-- scribed which is rugged in its construction and the operative parts of which are so constructed and arranged as to avoid shocks or jars on the mechanism which are operative to print the records on the cards and to rotate the die element.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of printing mechanism constructed with two platens which are so constructed and arranged with respect to each other and to the means for supporting them on the machine that both platens can be depressed to print on a card inserted in the machine, a circular record on the card concentrically to a permanent record thereon. and to also at the same time initially imprint on the card the full length of the marking hand, and constructed to permit the inner platen to be separately depressed so as to imprint on the record formed or produced by the permanent card record and the printed record thereon an imprint of the marking hand without reprinting on the card the circular series of die characters. Another object of the invention is to provide in combination with co-operative twin, coaxial platens of this character means to actuate the plungers by a movement or movements which exerts a minimum stress or shock on the mechanism.

Other objects of the invention are to improve and simplify elapsed recording mechanisms of this general character, and the invention consists of the combination and arrangements of the parts shown in the drawings and described in the specification, and is pointed out in the appended claims.

As shown in the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a time elapsed recorder embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical section, partially in elevation, on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are detail sections on the respective lines 44; of Figure 3 and 55 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the rotative printing die of the recorder.

Figure 7 is a partial plan view of a time card having a permanent dial record thereon adapted for use with the recording: mechanism shown.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the card after the exterior dial record has been printed thereon, and also an imprint of the marking hand. has been made on the card, such as shown at the beginning of the job.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view ol? the card showing the record at the end of the job.

In said drawings, A designates a card having; on one end a permanently printed dial record B, shown as marked with the hour and. minute graduations ot a clock dial. This permanent dial record is located at one end of the card, the other end being provided with parallel lines to receive suitable data with respect to a job of work. This card, when fully printed in the recorder, is a complete record of a given job, and is used to compute the cost of the work on the job.

As shown in Figure 6, l0 designates plan. view ofthe die that is rotated by a clock mechanism in the machine. It is shown 'as of larger diameter than the permanent or printed dial record B on the card. and is marked near its nun-grin with the hour and minute graduations of the usual twelve hour dial. before stated, the permanent record dial oil the card, when placed and gauged in the record, is adapted to be axially disposed with respect to the dial l0, and the dial 10 is provided with a raised radial rib ll tllill'i CO1lStltl" the printing element to produce on the card a printed mark D to simulate one hand of a clock on the permanent dial record of the card. Said rib prints a mark D that extends radially across said permanent card dial record to points on the pgraduations of the larger circular series of hour and minute ,a raduations E stamped or printed on the card, as shown in Figure 9 when both platens are depressed. The printed hand impression D extends only to the inner per manent series of 'raduations when the central platen is independentl depressed as shown in Figure 9.

The machine is prov: :d with two platens indicated in Figures 3 and 4; by 12 and 13, respectively, which are disposed in the ma chine coanially with respect to each other and to the die 10. The diameter of the outer plunger 12 and its rim like contour is of such relative wilth 1 to co-operate with that portion of the die which bears the annular series of hour and minute grad: nations l0 of the die (Figure 6), and the inner plunger 13 is of a diameter to approximately correspond. to that of the permanent printed dial record on the card. The said larger platen is recessed or inset and the smaller platen fits and is closely guided in said recess and is normally .tlush llill at its lower face with the lower face of the larger or other platen.

The said platens 12 and 13-are so constructed that they both can be depressed together against a card which is inverted and interposed between the platens and a printing ribbon 15 that overlies the die 10, to produce the initial record shown in Figure 8, the outer imprint E surrounding the permanent dial record B of the card; and the depression of both platens also imprints on the card an impression of the full length of the rib or die hand 11 as shown in Figure 8. After an elapsed time and during the time when the die is rotated in clockwise direction by the clock mechanism. the inner platen 13 can be depressed on the card when inserted again into the machine so as to imprint on the permanent record of the card from that portion of the hand element 11 which is coradial with the inner platen 13. After the card is so printed the record appears as in Figure 9.

A simple form of machine and mechanism support is herein shown. It comprises in generalterms a box-like frame 13 at the upper side of which is mounted the parts which have before been described. The front wall of said frame carries a dial 19 over which sweep the usual minute and hour hands of a clock. The top wall of the frame is provided with a central raised portion or platform 21 that is cut away at 22 to form a seat for the rotating die; the annular walls of the seat or recess constitute confining or constraining means to hold the die in place on the platform. Said pl atform portion of the frame is provided w th an opening 24 downwardly througlrwhich extends an operating sleeve 25 that is connected by the gears 26 and a shaft 27 to any suitable form of clock mechanism enclosed in a casing 28. The said clock 1nechanism casing is fastened to the lower ends of studs or posts 29 that depend from the top wall 20 of the frame. Said clock mechanism is also operatively connected by a second shaft 30 in the usual or known manner with the hour and minute hands associated with the clock dial 19 at the front of the case.

Referring now to the mechanism for operating the'platens12 and 13, the same are made as follows:

32 designates a relatively heavy arm or bracket that is bolted or otherwise secured to the lower portion of the top wall 20 at one side of the platform 21. The free end of said bracket extends over said platform and terminates in a vertical sleeve or bear ing 33. 34 designates a tubular stem which is fixed to or made integral with the outer platen 12 and it has sliding bearing in the sleeve 33. 35 is a second stem that is disposed axially within and slides endwise of the hollow stem 34 and is made integral with or fixed to the inner platen 13.

37 designates a lever which is formed at its free end to constitute a hand piece. The heel end of the lever, which is made hollow for a purpose hereinafter to be described. is disposed between upstanding arms 39 of the bearing sleeve 33 and is fitted to said arms through the medium of a pivot or fulcrum pin 40. The lateral sides of said heel end 41 of the lever 37 in front of the pivot 40 are shaped to provide eccentric portions which rest on the upper side of a ring 42 that is threaded to and constitutes the upper end of the platen stem 34, whereby upon swinging the lever 37 downwardly, said eccentric portions of the divided heel part of the lever act on said ring to depress said stem 34 and its platen 12. The said stem and platen are thus depressed against the action of a spiral restoring spring 43 which surrounds the stem 34 between it and the sleeve and said spring bears at one end against the lower end of the ring 42 and at its other end against a cross bar 45 that is seated transversely across the lower end of the sleeve 33.

The inner platen stem 35 is depressed by a second lever 47. the eccentric heel end portion 48 of which is located between the arms of the heel end of the lever 37 and is also pivotally mounted on the pin 40 for the lever 37. Said eccentric heel end of the lever 47 bears against a cap or nut 50 that is threaded to the upper end of the inner platen stem The inner platen stem is depressed against the action of a spiral restoring spring 51 that surrounds the latter stem between it and the hollow stem and one end of the spring 51 bears against the lower edge of the cap 50 and the other end bears against the pin 45 before mentioned The said inner platen stem is slotted at 52 so as to permit the inner plunger stem to reciprocate relatively to the outer plunger stem.

A stop pin 54 is fixed to and extends downwardly and forwardly from the lever 47 and is adapted to strike against the upper end of the sleeve 33 to limit the movement of both of the levers 47 and 3'7:v it being understood that the lever 47 may be swung downwardly independently of and without mov ing the lever 37. and that when the latter lever is swung downwardly it also swings the lever 47 herewith.

The inkingribbon 15 before referred to is attached to and wound about rollers 56, 56 that are rotatively supported within a casing 57 that partially encloses the platform 21. and said casing is provided with a central large opening 58 to receive the platens 12 and 13 when the latter are depressed. The ribbon rollers are mounted in bearings at the ends of the platform 21 and are enclosed therebetween and the downturned ends of the casing 57 which latter may be tired in any suitahle manner to the frame, as by the screws 59 (shown in Figures 1 and.

Gauge flanges or strips 60, 61 are supported on said ribbon casino" at two 1 cent sides thereof to locate the time card A with its pcrranently printed dial rec rd concent 'ie with the die 10 and the plate l2 and 13.

in the operation 0? the recoi .1 co -vice the clock mechanism is wound and the time card A having thereon the permanently i oial recoi. shown in. lh ire T. is inserted hetween the ribbon ill) over the dial 10 Mid s 12 and 13 thereahove. it

i y to the plllltli'lfl' element nges 60 and 61. Th a l,

the plate cated re the gauge main leveml is swung downw press hoth ot the platens on the actions oi? hoth of their res 4-3 and 51, respectively. 1

L] and to print on tl card A the outer record dial E and the record of the mailing: hand Thereafter the card is removed and alter an interval of time has elapsed or when a job finished, or the workman leaves the machine, the card is again inserted between the pl tens and the ribbon over the die and the smaller, inner platen is depressed throinm the action of the lever L7 to imprint on and in jiroper re ation to the permanent dial record B and the imprint dial record. the short maring hand impression D. The initially print l marl inc; hand record has a fixed relat' permanent dial record and tne i record E, as shown in Figure 8. first portion of the record is made, inn hand 11 moves away ii-om printed. record D before referred to, due to the rotation of the die element 10, and wh n the record is completed by inserting); the card a, second time in the machine 'er an elapsce time. the angular distance between the h d s in the dial will show the elapsed t me, the time during: which particular job or a portion of job is lacing completed, By reason of the fact that the platen 13 is of shorter radius than the platen 12, and the tact that but a single rib 11 is .sed to produce both of the imprinted hand m ngs it i possible a ll pra ticahle to i oile hand printing member to prl end short hand iinprin LS, snown 1 9. Thus the meehdnism S he record the tl e print the hand.

it 1 compact and contained. ul llll cylindrio outline.

indicating markings of a rotating; member, comprising a single rotativc clock-driven die having printing face composed of an annular series of time graduations and a single relatively fixed radial marker relativcly movable platens coaxial with each other and the die, one within and of smaller diameter than the other, and means to movc said platens simultaneously towards the die, and one ot them separately towards said die, whereby the imprint of said marker from line latter platen is shorter than the imprint l l by the coaction with said marker face composed of annular series oi? time p'raduat ous and a single relatively fixed radial marker 0 tending .irom the center or said die to said series, a pair of relatively movable platens coaxial with each other and the die the inner platen being inset in and guided by the outer platen means to depress both platens simultaneously towards the die, and other means to separately depres the central platen towards the central part oi the die.

.lin e apsed time recorder comprising: a rotative clock-driven die having); a printing c operatin with said marker the inner plate lacing smaller than the diameter of said series, and the outer platen havinp an annular printing face of a diameter to be presented against said series, and. means to move said platens simu taneously and, one of them, ,cparately, towards sa d die to printing? positions.

4:. fin elapsed time recorder comprising a rotative cloclT-driven die and separately movahle platens coaxial with each other and with the die and movable axially relatively to each other and towards and from said die. with the printing; faces of the platens normally flush with each other at the die side the-reel and eccentric actuating means for said platens. one adapted to move hoth platens to printing posit on and the other to )nratelv move one of the platens to printposition.

Ji in elapsed time recorder comprising: a rotative clock-driven die and separately ivshle platens coaxial with each. other and central platen to printing position and itself operated by the first lever to move the central platen to printing position.

6. An elapsed time recorder comprising a rotative cloclcdriven die and separately movable non-rotative platens coaxial with each other and with the die and movable axially relatively to each other and towards and from said die, a lever pivoted to the recorder frame and having a portion provided with spaced eccentric bearings operative to move both platens to printing positions and a second lever pivoted to the frame by the same meansas the first lever and having an eccentric bearing portion between. the bear ings of the first lever to separately move the central platen to printing position.

7. An elapsed time recorder comprising a rotative clock-driven die, and printing platens coaxial with each other and the die, the outer platen having on its lower side a recess to receive the inner platen, with the printing faces thereof flush, said die having an annular series of time graduations opposed to the annular face of the outer platen, and an inner area of a diameter equal to and opposing the inner platen, and pro- 'vided also with a single radial marking element fixed relatively to said graduations and extending across the circular line dividing said platens, and means to operate said platens.

8. An elapsed time recorder comprising a rotative clock-driven die, and printing platens coaxial with each other and the die, the outer platen having on its lower side a recess to receive the inner platen with the printing faces thereof normally flush, spring means to normally hold the platens Way from the die, eccentric means acting on the outer platen to depress both platens to printing position and separate eccentric means acting on the inner platen to separately press it to printing position.

9. An elapsed time recorder comprising a rotative clock-driven die, and printing platens coaxial with each other and the die, the outer platen having on its lower side a recess to receive the inner platen with the printing faces thereof flush, stems for said platens, one of which is hollow to receive and be guided by the other, a guide for the hollow stem, restoring springs for said platens enclosed respectively by said guide and hollow stem, a pivoted lever having a hollow eccentric heel portion to bear on the stem of the outer platen, and a second pivoted eccentric lever within the hollow eecentric heel of the first lever to act 011 the stem of the inner platen.

platens coaxial with each other and the die, I

the outer platen having on its lower side a recess to recelve the inner platen with the printing faces thereof flush, an overhang ing fixed arm having a bearing coaxial with said die and said platens, a hollow stein for the outer platen reciprocably in said bearing, a second stem for the inner platen reciprocable in the said hollow stem, a lever having spaced eccentric parts pivoted on extensions of said bearing sleeve and bearing on the stem of the outer platen, and a second eccentric lever pivoted between said eccentric parts of the first lever and bearing on the stem of the inner platen.

11. An elapsed time recorder comprising a rotative clock-driven die, and printing platens coaxial with each other and the die, the outer platen having on its lower side a recess to receive the inner platen, with the printing faces thereof flush, an overhanging fixed arm having a bearing coaxial with said die and said platens, a hollow stem for the outer platen reciprocable in said bearing, a second stem for the inner platen reciprocable in the said hollow stem, a lever having separated eccentric parts pivoted on extensions of said bearing sleeve and hearing on the stern of the outer platen, a second eccentric lever pivoted between said eccentric parts of the first lever and bearing on the stem of the inner platen, and a separate stop for limiting the printing movements of both said levers.

12. An elapsed time recorder adapted to record elapsed time on a card bearing on its face a permanent annular series of time graduations, embracing a die bearing an annular series of time graduations of a diameter greater than the series on the card, and two platens movable towards and from said die and coaxial with respect to each other and the die, one having an annular printing face opposed to said die series of graduations and the other opposing the face of the die within the latter series, and the die having additionally a radial hand printing marker, fixed relatively to said graduations and extending from the center of the die to its annular series of graduations.

In witness whereof I claim the foregoing as my invention, 1 hereunto append my sig nature this 7th day of April, 1920.

CHARLES S. ELLIS. 

